A Word about Taxicabs in Albany

In one of my previous posts, I touched upon the taxicab situation in Albany. It's really more of an inconvenience than a major problem. Except for the downtown entertainment district, it's not always easy to get a cab at night, especially during the week. We have four cab companies and a few gypsy cabs which mostly work weekend nights when there is money to be made. I rarely see Capitaland taxis in the city. Apparently, they prefer not to deal with drunken college kids and urban dwellers. Blatant racism, but I can only do what I can to change society. Keep dreaming, Martin! No one seems to like to call a Yellow cab. They have a reputation of ripping people off. In Albany, we have a zone system instead of meters. Unscrupulous cab drivers will tell you that they crossed into another zone and will charge extra. By the time you find the map and figure out whether or not they are telling the truth, it's not worth the extra buck. Still, that's the perception. Yellow cabs, therefore, are a cab of last resort. That leaves two cab companies which are popular with bar patrons and bartenders - Duffy's and Buzzy's. Their cabs aren't as nice as Capitaland's, but they are more reliable if you want to get home late at night. Plus, you don't feel like they are trying to rip you off like Yellow. Unfortunately, there are problems with both. Despite the lucky shamrock adorning the green Duffy cabs, they are obviously an Irish company. The Irish are renown for their drinking. What does that say about the drivers? Are they all Irish drinkers? How many pints and shots do they have before they get behind the wheel? Not only that, but there is an Irish pub in Albany called Duffy's, and many times, even though I give the driver my address, I get dropped off at Duffy's anyway. When I try to explain that I only ordered a Duffy's cab, not that I wanted to go to Duffy's, the response is always the same. "Hey, I take you where my dispatcher tells me to go." At least Duffy's is a friendly bar with a pretty bartender. That leaves Buzzy's. As far as I am concerned, anyone who gets into a cab named Buzzy has got to be crazy. As a lawyer, I know what they would call that in court. Assumption of the risk. http://www.thecityofalbany.us/taxi/index.html